First Aid Kit Contents

[VGxHC]

From what I can tell, it is more beneficial to build out your own first aid kit than to purchase a pre-packaged one. What are some must haves in your first aid kits?

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[vhfan5150]

I steered clear of the basic stuff: the bandaids and ibuprofen type things. My wife usually has these in her purse. I figured my IFAK should be for serious stuff only. Here’s my contents:
CAT TQ (I think gen II or later you can deploy it on yourself)
Israeli Bandage
Z Pack dressing
Clotting sponge
Chest seal
Handful of 4x4s
A couple 2” rolled gauze
SAM splint (I know I can just use sticks/cravats but it was free)
It all goes into a cheap rip-away MOLLE pouch I stow on an MPS fender panel.
I may add a couple decompression needles later but am hesitant as I’m only licensed to practice in Ohio.

 

[vhfan5150]

All of that plus a second TQ, but I also carry a nasal trumpet as an airway. I'd be pretty desperate to trach someone. Safety scissors. I think that's most of it though.

Ah yes. Forgot about the trumpet. I have one too. Was lucky enough that a 30fr was expiring as I was putting my kit together.

 

[vhfan5150]

Ah crap forgot gloves. Go with nitrile so you don’t have to worry about a latex allergy and that damn powder. Also, don’t get black. Sure they look cool but it’s hard to see blood on them.

 

[beachbumm78]

I built my own—but I’m an athletic trainer so I have all the go-to emergency medical stuff, and the basic 1st aid in my bag already. Just transferred some to a smaller bag depending on where I’m traveling. Some of my faves (for some of the unobvious items) are steristrips, dermabond, ace wrap...

 

[Rhinebeck01]

I built my own—but I’m an athletic trainer so I have all the go-to emergency medical stuff, and the basic 1st aid in my bag already. Just transferred some to a smaller bag depending on where I’m traveling. Some of my faves (for some of the unobvious items) are steristrips, dermabond, ace wrap...

@beachbumm78

Your "dermabond" comment brought back memories / stories to me... not all good ones either.

Way back when (I'm old) I was working Helicopter Rescue in the Sierra Nevada's... I repelled into many a logging camps back then.

You name it injury wise, I saw it and had to deal with it, all by myself... ANYWAY, Dermabond was not something that was available/approved back then so I carried Crazy Glue and used that for certain wounds.. I used it with the same caveats as you use with Dermabond these days.

When Dermabond and similar were approved, I used them lots before I retired. These days I use Gorilla glue for minor cuts I get, as that is handy in my tool box. I hate going say 7-10 days with steri-strips on.

.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

Another thing that I used often over the years was a trocar and cantor. To this day I carry such in my First aid kit.
Have a cric tube also.

 

[beachbumm78]

@beachbumm78

Your "dermabond" comment brought back memories / stories to me... not all good ones either.

Way back when (I'm old) I was working Helicopter Rescue in the Sierra Nevada's... I repelled into many a logging camps back then.

You name it injury wise, I saw it and had to deal with it, all by myself... ANYWAY, Dermabond was not something that was available/approved back then so I carried Crazy Glue and used that for certain wounds.. I used it with the same caveats as you use with Dermabond these days.

When Dermabond and similar were approved, I used them lots before I retired. These days I use Gorilla glue for minor cuts I get, as that is handy in my tool box. I hate going say 7-10 days with steri-strips on.

.

haha...I'm sure you do have some stories with that. I can't even imagine all the crazy stuff you saw.

I've had former co-workers that have told me they still prefer the Crazy Glue...much cheaper than the $100/unit of Dermabond. haha. Gorilla glue is great for that stuff--my uncle does the same. I couldn't imagine going that long w/ steri-strips on. I've had a few athletes that were stitched up and had some strips and we changed those daily & it was such a pain.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

snipe:

I couldn't imagine going that long w/ steri-strips on. I've had a few athletes that were stitched up and had some strips and we changed those daily & it was such a pain.

@beachbumm78

Streri-Strips are supposed to be placed and then left alone for the time frame that the medical provider recommends.

They are not meant to be or suppose to be, "changed those daily".

Dependent on where the wound is, tension on the wound, infection/drainage concerns and a multitude of over variables, dictates when a single or more Steri-Strip is removed.


------
Yes, I have a scad of stories to tell.... 8-)


.

 

[beachbumm78]

snipe:


@beachbumm78

Streri-Strips are supposed to be placed and then left alone for the time frame that the medical provider recommends.

They are not meant to be or suppose to be, "changed those daily".

Dependent on where the wound is, tension on the wound, infection/drainage concerns and a multitude of over variables, dictates when a single or more Steri-Strip is removed.


------
Yes, I have a scad of stories to tell.... 8-)


.

Yes agreed -- but as my athlete already had stitches and cleared to RTP, the steri-strips were secondary. And with the level of play this athlete did it was necessity that dictated them having to be changed daily. Our team doc would of had a fit if they weren't changed and the wound kept clean.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

@beachbumm78

Ok, I see.... basically the steri-strips were being placed daily, in conjunction with / in addition to, the sutures on the healing wound.

Steri-Strips used like you are referring to, serve a purpose and can be changed daily, etc... Those Steri-Strips are lets say merely, bolstering the placed sutures.

I thought you were removing Steri-Strips from a wound that initially had it's edges approximated with Steri-Strips (no sutures used) ..... when the wound was initially dealt with.

What you were/are doing is just fine.

.

 

[beachbumm78]

@beachbumm78

Ok, I see.... basically the steri-strips were being placed daily, in conjunction with / in addition to the sutures on the healing wound.

Steri-Strips used like you are referring to, serve a purpose and can be changed daily, etc... The Steri-Strips are lets say merely bolstering the placed sutures.

I thought you were removing Steri-Strips from a wound that initially had it's edges approximated with Steri-Strips ..... when the wound was initially dealt with.

What you were/are doing is just fine.

.

exactly! oh no---most definitely not removing daily if thats what being used to hold edges together. for that long---like you said----no way would I use strips for that---glue all the way. lol

 

[ImAJeepskate]

Contents of my First-Aid Kit that I have in my jeep (MOLLE Pack). Doing this list off the top of my head, may be missing some stuff.

Physical Supplies:
10- 1"x4" Band Aids
10- Butterfly Band Aids
5- 4"x4" absorption pads
7- 5"x5" Gauze Pads
5 ft of Gauze roll
2- Suture Kits
10- Alcohol Wipes
1- 2oz Antibiotic Cream
1- hemostat
1- medical scissors

Drugs:
Lots of Advil
10 Aspirin
10 iodine Tablets
2- Eye drops

 

[Sean L]

Some of y'all are fresh out of the CLS class ain't ya? Where are you driving your Jeeps? Fallujah? Ramadi? Lashkar Gah?

 

[BrntWS6]

I had this attached to my range bag but don't shoot much anymore so moved it over to the jeep.

Trauma sheers
Tourniquet
Israeli bandage
Trauma pak
Clotting sponge
rubber gloves
assortment of gauze pads
antiseptic
duct tape

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